Hello
by NightcatMau
Summary: The creepiest one-shot I've ever written. Seriously. All I'll say is that Valkyrie is taking Necromancy lessons from Wreath. T'was meant to be romantic and came out spooky. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Wreath or Crux. Val is in her 20s. Ah, I don't own "Hello" by Lionel Richie either.

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Wreath was driving me in his rental car through the streets of Dublin. He'd returned to Ireland and we'd been training for weeks. I'd Surged and chosen Necromancy, and now my old teacher and friend was attentive to me. It was almost creepy in a way. And the breaking point came that day. "You can try the CD player if you want, Valkyrie. I think there's something in there."

I did and when Lionel Richie's "Hello" came on I was horrified. I looked over at Wreath, but he seemed oblivious.

"Let me out of the car." I said, feeling panic start to rise in me.

"What?"

"Let me out of the car, now, Solomon!" I said angrily. He pulled over and stared at me, snapping the player off.

"What is wrong with you, Valkyrie?"

"Nothing! Just let me out."

"Fine. Get out." He said angrily, turning to stare rigidly through the windscreen. I did, almost falling in my hurry to get away from him. I almost ran into the nearest shop, a bookstore, and I spent the longest time there, trying to get my heart to slow down.

_It's just a stupid song. _I told myself. _Wreath didn't even know it would come on. There's no way your teacher would play the ultimate teacher stalking a student song for you._ I told myself. It didn't help that in the video a lovestruck teacher was stalking his student and she was literally blind. Something about her being helpless to sense him as he stalked her terrified me. _Please tell me he isn't stalking me. Please God, I'll be a good person. Just please, not him. Not that way._

I went out and managed to get a cab, lost in my thoughts. I'd been getting strange calls from an unlisted number. But I had Wreath's number, didn't I? And he was over three centuries old! And I'd never forgive him for making me bait for Crux.

I shivered as I got home, then went and checked to make sure the magic was in place to keep Necromancers out. I calmed down after a while and by bedtime I could take a shower. I could laugh about it now. It wasn't like Wreath thought I might love him like the video implied the student loved her teacher. He'd probably laugh too, once I told him. The landline rang once then stopped as I got out of the shower. I froze, then shook my head. I was imagining things and if I ever saw Wreath again, I'd have to apologize.

But as I went out to my bedroom I saw a single black rose laid across my pillow, my Necromancy ring tucked securely around it.

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**Wheee! Mwhahahaha!**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Wreath. Many thanks go out to **CJBrown** and **NarahSelson** for reviewing.

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I took my ring off the rose and slipped it on, then turned as shadows gathered and Wreath appeared. "With my apologies, Valkyrie." He gestured to the rose. "I did something to scare you today, and for that I apologize." He said.

"Um, no, it was me, actually. It's just that song..." I trailed off, embarrassed.

"Yes?"

"Um, is sort of stalkerish."

"And you thought I planned it?" He sounded shocked.

"Well, um, you've never seen the video?"

"Not that I recall. Why are you turning red?"

"Never mind?" I tried, but Wreath just stared at me. "OK, but you asked for it." I dug out my mobile, wondering why he didn't have his, then grabbed my protective clothes and went back into the bathroom and hastily dressed. Knowing Wreath he wanted to go out training. I swore he never slept.

By the time I came out he looked thoughtful. "Necromancy? Check. Cane? Check. Ability to terrify students with stalker songs? Check." He said then laughed. He held his arms out and I ran to him and hugged him.

"Sorry, Solomon." I apologized.

"No need. No wonder you fell out of the car." He said, clearly amused, then wrapped his arms more securely around me and shadow-walked us to an isolated area to do our nightly training.

I looked at the abandoned house before us in the middle of nowhere. "That house is haunted, isn't it?" I asked as we parted.

"I hope so. Well, let's go inside and we can see what your training has done for you so far." He said dryly and I knew he was still laughing at me in his own way.

"I'm going to decapitate you, Wreath." I growled.

"Solomon. And you wish." He said as we faced off. "Your weakness is that you'll never draw on the worst suffering in a location, Valkyrie. It already happened. I don't see what your problem is." He launched darts of shadows at me that I easily deflected.

"Good, but we do this every night, Valkyrie. Do you think you're ready to summon the dead to you?"

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**Stalker songs and asking her to raise the dead. Wreath just adores Valkyrie, doesn't he?**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Wreath. Thanks go out to** CJBrown **for reviewing.

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I hesitated and Wreath glared at me. "Wreath, I can't."

"You can. You knew what we were, what it was your destiny to become when you started to train with me." He said, suddenly angry.

"But-"

"No, Valkyrie! Do you think I'll be here forever to protect you? You have to learn this at some point, because you will need it. Now concentrate!" He barked. And I did, seeking out the dead below us like he instructed.

"You feel them?" He asked calmly. "Good, call them to you, like you call your shadows. Choose just one for now. Good. Now make it come back for you, Valkyrie. You can do this. The dead are yours to command."

I didn't want to do this, but I obeyed, and could feel the body I'd detected below the house awaken and stir at my command. It started to claw its way to the surface, my Necromancy granting it strength it would never have alone. Screaming, it burst through the rotted floorboards, then stood before me snarling, but it didn't dare to attack.

"Now command it to attack me." Wreath ordered. "And whatever you do, don't loose control." Great. The moment he said that I panicked and the zombie, hating me for bringing it back, roared and came at me. I barely got my shadows up to push it way, and watched as Wreath pointed his cane and shot a spear of shadows at it, destroying the brain.

The body hit the floor with a meaty thud and he looked at me with a sigh. "I knew the moment I said that it was the wrong thing to say. Still, good work for your first time. Come here." He said holding out his arms.

Wreath hugged me close to him. "I can't always be here to protect you, Valkyrie. And you are what you are. I know you found this distasteful, but it is what we are. We _are_ Necromancers."

"Is it too late to switch to kittenmancy? The controlling of hordes of adorable kittens?" I asked and he laughed then released me.

"Much too late. But you did well. Is there something else bothering you?"

"There have been calls. To my mobile and the landline at home. One ring and they hang up. Unlisted number." He frowned.

"No wonder you've been jumpy. Nothing like a stalker to put a person on edge. I'll see what I can find out."

"You mean you'll kill my stalker, don't you?"

"More than likely, yes."

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**And now he's homicidal as well. Aww.**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Wreath or Skulduggery. Thanks go out to **CJBrown **for reviewing! Oh, and if I haven't said it by now, Val is in her 20s.

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Wreath stopped by early the next morning to take me to meet with my stalker in a public place. I thought that was a really stupid idea, and wondered why he hadn't killed the man, but when we reached the fast food place I knew why. Wreath calmly got us our food, keeping me by his side. "It's driving him insane, seeing you near me." He murmured. "But then, he's always been obsessed with you."

We went over and sat with my stalker who glared at me from behind his disguise. "You abandoned me to go play with dead things, did you?" He asked, his voice dangerous and suddenly I was angry.

"You abandoned me. You left me without a partner, not the other way around. And the calls stop now, Skulduggery."

"You see?" Wreath asked calmly. "I told you you were frightening her. Though it was a nice touch to also change out the CD in my car. You hoped she'd run right into your arms, didn't you? Tell me, Skulduggery, is that song how you really feel for your student?"

"Enough, both of you." I hissed, because Skulduggery looked ready to explode. "Look, Skulduggery, you can't just abandon me and expect me to come back now. Besides, you hate what I've become." I said, surprised over the bitterness in my voice.

Wreath glared at Skulduggery. "Do you see how much damage I have to undo? You not only made my student fear me with your unreasoning hatred, but she hates herself as well. If you really cared as much as you say you do, you'd support her."

Skulduggery looked stricken, even behind his disguise. "I'm sorry, Valkyrie. You just don't know what Wreath is really like. Why do you think I tried to scare you away from him? What kind of teacher spends all day with his student?"

"What kind crawls in her bedroom window late at night?" Wreath snapped back.

"Will you two shut up? People are staring." I said. And a lot of people were, most of them looking fairly sick that I was apparently sleeping with two of my teachers and letting them fight it out over me.

I started to laugh, I couldn't help it, and some people looked even more disgusted. Wreath joined me and even Skulduggery realized it was funny. "Sorry." He managed as his shoulders shook. "I just missed you. God, that sounds revolting, considering." He laughed harder and I saw the manager glaring at us.

"We better go." I muttered and Wreath escorted me to his car, still laughing.

"Sorry about that, Valkyrie. I'll pay for any therapy sessions you need. Oh Lord, he's right, anything in this context does sound bad. Get in." He waved towards the car and I got in. I wondered what our training would be like now, and if it would continue. Despite having a good laugh over it I knew Wreath cared about appearances and if he thought my being seen with him would make me look bad, he just would not show up one day and I wondered if Skulduggery had thought of that too.

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**Could the lessons be over before they start? Time will tell!**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Wreath or Lord Vile. I took liberties here, I can't remember wights in the books. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** and **NarahSelson** for the reviews and inspiring the chapter!

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Our training progressed to the point where we'd form small groups of the dead we'd control and I was facing off against Wreath with my zombies against his wights, called from their mounds, and it was a gruesome spectacle. The wights touch could only speed a zombie's decay process and a zombie bite did no good against something that was already dead.

The were locked in grisly struggle, both of us pushing our small hordes to break through and get to the other side. It was a deadly game, and deadlier still when Lord Vile appeared. He tore through our creatures with his shadows, making each kill look effortless, then turned on Wreath and shot a wave of shadows at him that knocked Wreath backwards and pinned him to the ground.

Vile kept the shadows up and Wreath was helpless. "Valkyrie, get out of here!" He commanded me and Vile turned to glare at me. I knew if I ran or shadow-walked he'd kill me. But I also knew he wasn't there to kill us or he would have already done it.

"OK, you win." I said calmly. "Wreath will go away, all right?" I said and Vile turned his attention to Wreath who nodded. Vile released him and Wreath managed to stagger to his feet.

To his credit, he didn't fear Vile. "So, now you will train her?" He asked and Vile just stared at him. "Then leave her half finished. And when she's dead, and she will be-" Vile grabbed him by the throat.

"Enough, both of you!" I said, daring to beat Vile on the arm. "Let him go! Now!" I said but Vile pushed me away with a wave of shadows.

"Don't you dare touch her." Wreath managed and tired to bring up his cane to strike, but Vile ripped it away with his shadows. In desperation I summoned more dead and released them on Vile. Wreath managed to gather up his cane then ran to me and grabbed me. We shadow-walked to his apartment. "He won't follow for a while." Wreath managed as he released me. "But I'm afraid you have to come with me now. You sided with me and he'll never forgive you for that." He managed.

And so I did. In no time at all we were hastily packed and on a plane for Japan. Wreath looked at me as we were at last in the sky. "I never thought you'd choose me, not in a million years. He is stronger, he did have a right to claim you as his student."

"He's also homicidal. You do realize I don't speak a word of Japanese, right?"

"But I do. And you'll pick it up, in time. There are temples there, but none would take us in. Not after you spurned him. He's obsessed with you and they won't dare get in his way."

"You did."

"When you have a student of your own you'll understand why. I don't see you as a child, I never have. It isn't a parental instinct, it goes deeper than that. It's a teacher's job to die to protect his students. You know, like in those badly dubbed action movies you love?" He teased gently and we smiled at one another. And suddenly I couldn't wait to get to Japan.

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**I'm going to leave it here. Seriously, you all don't want to see the two or three bits of Romaji I remember beat to death. But imagine a battle in the streets of Tokyo or some Samurai Necromancer coming to the rescue. If however, you do want me to go on, let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Wreath. Shinigami-sama is mine though. My Japanese is extremely rusty, so please bear with me. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** and a **Guest** for reviewing.

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We weren't in Japan long before a black van pulled up as we walking the busy streets of Tokyo one day. Six men got out, dressed in identical black suits, all wearing sunglasses. "Shinigami-sama requests your presence." One of the men said in a monotone that made me think they were zombies.

We got in the van, Wreath looking rather calm. He even remained calm when we reached an isolated area and the van drove into a hill, then entered a lift that carried us far below ground. He wasn't speaking and I didn't dare to as the lift stopped and the men escorted us through hallways of black stone lit by smoking torches. I saw spirits flickering past us, spirits of the dead that would sometimes come right up to us but didn't say a word.

We came to a gigantic throne room which was as dimly lit as the rest of the place, but I could see well enough to make out the man seated on the ebon throne who stared at us. He looked like royalty with his long black hair tied back and black kimono. I noticed his kimono was tied like it would be to bury the dead, but only bowed politely with Wreath.

I tried not to notice as the spirits that thronged around his throne came to see us, many of them encircling Wreath. Then Shinigami-sama spoke in a voice that raised the hair on the back of my neck. "So, the student returns to the master. And he brings his own student. Interesting."

Wreath said nothing, but kept his head bowed. "You may both look upon your lord." The man said and I looked up. Shinigami-sama was looking at me thoughtfully. "You may speak." He said.

"Wreath was your student, Shinigami-sama?" I asked, startled. He nodded, then gestured and one of his zombies went away, then returned with others. They set up tea at a small table I hadn't noticed and Shinigami-san gestured for us to join him.

"You can move, Wreath-kun." He said, a sudden warmth in his voice. He looked at me, amused. "He's afraid I'll loose my temper and release a Onryō on you. But I sense your potential and his. You will stay here as my students. It has been decided."

Wreath at last could speak. "You'll see all sort of spirits here no other Necromancer would dare raise. But Shinigami-sensei is one of only two Necromancers to ever bring himself back from the dead."

Shinigami-sama nodded, and rewarded Wreath with a smile I wished he hadn't used. "You needn't fear the other. If he enters my temple he can join my other servants. He's been building power, I sensed it even here. He wishes to have his student back, but as she is now my student, that will not be acceptable."

Shinigami-sama turned that same chilling smile on me. "I hope you like sushi, and some other delicacies." He said as covered trays were wheeled in. I nodded. "I can be a kind man, if it so suits me, Valkyrie-san. Oh yes, I'm well aware of who you are. And I sense your potential. Only when you two can match me in power will you leave. Say, in a century or so." He smiled again and I realized we were his prisoners as much as his students.

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**Translations:**

**Shinigami: Literally god of the dead, the Grim Reaper**

**Onryō: Vengeful spirit of the dead**

**-sama: Honorific used with superiors, or royalty**

**-san: You could use this honorific with female students or most adults, male or female**

**-kun honorific from superior man to lesser, usually used by teachers.**

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**Shinigami-sama is scary, isn't he?**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Wreath or Lord Vile. Thanks go out to my **Japanese language advisor**. He knows who he is.

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Shinigami-sama turned out to be a good teacher, though his usual idea of kindness consisted of giving us dead spirits to help us. He picked a hanging victim for me, and it was profoundly disturbing to look in the corner and see her bloated face and black eyes that stared at me, awaiting my command.

Shinigami-sama was a dangerous lunatic, and the other Necromancers feared him as much as we did, since he did not take failure or disobeying his orders too well. Yet, he could suddenly be warm and friendly, and that was more frightening than his usual personality, because he never lost that chilling smile.

He decided one day to call me into his throne room alone, and it frightened me that he was in a good mood. "Valkyrie-chan. How very good to see you. Won't you join me for lunch?" I nodded, hoping Shinigami-sama wasn't coming on to me. From his creepy smile it was hard to tell what he was thinking since he got that same creepy smile when raising the dead against their will.

As we ate he stared at me, but I kept my eyes on my plate. I never looked at him unless he invited me to, and only then because I knew it was more of a command. "I was thinking of giving my best students leave to go to Tokyo for several days. I want my students to look their best and I expect the female to start wearing her hair up in a bun and combs. Also perfume. It pleases me to see beautiful things ornamented."

"Hai, Sensei." I said, keeping my eyes averted.

"You may look upon your lord, Valkyrie-chan." He said and I looked up at him. "Good. You are coming along well in your studies, that pleases me." He smiled even more weirdly and I smiled back faintly. "You also have my permission to wear your regular clothing while in Tokyo. Your robe is something sacred to me. It stays here." With that he dismissed me, and it was all I could do not to run from his presence.

* * *

Both Wreath and I had to wear sunglasses above ground, having spent so much time in the dim light of the temple.

It felt wonderful to feel the sun and I think Wreath was relieved to be away from Shinigami-sama as well. As we shopped he relaxed. He was happy to help me pick out hair combs and perfume, making sure to get a wide array of each as Shinigami-sama had given him an idea that he wanted it that way.

And when we returned my servant would do my hair up for me daily, placing the combs and doing my perfume. The combs were a strange point of interest for Shinigami-sama who would stare at me fixedly, especially with the more elaborate ones with flowers or dangling crystals or pearls on them.

He would even bat at the dangling strands, amusing himself, then return to our lesson as if nothing had happened. And I wondered if Lord Vile would show up, because I had the sinking feeling that we both needed rescued.

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**Translations:**

**Hai, Sensei: Yes, Teacher**

**-chan: Honorific implies something is cute, usually only used with tiny children or to women in a slightly creepy way**

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**Aw. Val gets all the crazy ones, doesn't she?**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Wreath or Lord Vile. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** for the review and inspiring the chapter. Enjoy!

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Wreath and I were studying in the temple library, covering the more arcane subjects Shinigami-sama wanted me to study when he gave me a small, tired smile. I knew it was an apology, and I knew he didn't dare say it out loud. Our paranoid master most likely knew everything that went on in the temple. "I think he will be sending me away soon, so he can continue your education alone." He said softly. "He only does that with certain students, he did it with me once. He'll dismiss you shortly after."

Wreath looked down and away, as if he was trying to warn me. "Wreath-"

"Solomon, please."

"Solomon, is he usually so generous?" I gestured at my comb, one of Shinigami-sama's favourites and Wreath shook his head.

"No, he isn't. It's a great honour of course if he chooses you." I nodded, knowing me he was trying to warn me to escape before our master took it into his head to teach me. But it was already too late. Wreath was summoned, then after about an hour, I was as well. Shinigami-sama stared at me.

"Do you like it here, Valkyrie-chan? Are you_ happy_?" My blood froze with the way he asked but I nodded. "You may look upon your lord and speak freely, tell him what pleases you most about him."

"My lord is a great and powerful man. There is no other Necromancer stronger than him. My lord has no limits, the spirits obey him and demons tremble before him. My lord has no mercy with those who displease him." I said, then bowed deeply.

"You please your lord. Do go on, and gaze upon me." There was a threat to his order I didn't dare disobey. And when I looked at Shinigami-sama it seemed like a mask was slipping off his face. The face was still there but for a moment I saw what was underneath.

"My lord is Shinigami-sama." I said weakly and he grinned at me.

"You please your lord, Valkyrie-chan. Tell me, do you _love_ your master?" I nodded, unable to speak. The spirits of the dead scattered, leaving us alone as he arose from his throne. "Then you won't mind becoming his star pupil."

Before he could reach me the entire room went black and when the dim torches relit themselves Lord Vile was standing before us. He gave no chance to Shinigami-sama, but hurled spears of shadows at him. These were deflected easily, but a whip of shadow grabbed him from behind before he could fully recover and as Shinigami-sama turned to Wreath I summoned the spirits back to attack.

Shinigami-sama roared in anger as the spirits, most cruelly treated by him, started to take their vengeance, literally pulling pieces off the Necromancer. His shadows gathered around him destroying the spirits, then swelled and when they fell he was dressed in the black armour of a Samurai.

* * *

**Oh, snap.**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Wreath, Lord Vile or Skulduggery. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** for reviewing.

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If I'd expected a long, drawn out battle, I was to be disappointed. Shadows burst from everywhere at once and the entire temple started to shake and I realized it was Lord Vile doing it. Tentacles of shadows shot from him and attached themselves to my former master's shadows. The room shook more and I could feel the power building until I thought I'd explode.

Shinigami-sama started to laugh even as shadows started to writhe in agony. He was laughing more as he turned his head to me and said in a terrible voice: "I'll return for you, Valkyrie-San!" He said, demented laughter pouring from his lips. Then he blew apart and I threw myself down as the shards of his shadows exploded outwards.

I was curled up into a ball when I felt tendrils of shadows start to drag me towards Lord Vile. I tried to struggle, to raise my own shadows, but more shadows raced out, plucking my ring from my finger. Wreath had struggled to his feet and charged forward, only to be slammed into with a wall of shadows. He sprawled to the ground and didn't move.

"Lord, Vile, please!" I said, as I desperately tried to grab onto the slick, stone floor. "Let him go! I'm yours, all right? You win!" He looked at me like I'd missed the point and with a final powerful tug his shadows retracted back into him and pulled me into his arms. I thought I heard him chuckle.

Then he spoke in an unearthly voice I'll always hear in my nightmares as he brought up one finger to my lips. "Go to sleep." He said as I blacked out.

* * *

I awoke sore all over but in a comfortable bed. I realized I was in my room at Skulduggery's house. "Skulduggery?" I asked.

"The one and only." He agreed in a bright voice from his chair.

"Lord Vile?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Said to tell you to stop being a naughty little Necromancer and listen to your teacher when he tells you to avoid Wreath. There are Necromancers who'd be happy to teach you everything they know. All you had to do was ask." Tentacles of shadows snaked out from him, some coming up to pluck at the bedclothes. "Rahh, it's Slenderman."

"More like Spledorman." I said, batting at his shadows and he laughed.

"Friends?"

"Always."

"Good."

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**Poor Wreath, left back in Japan and Skul gets his student back. But just where did Skul get that mystery CD? And did you catch all three creepypastas? Splendy counts, you know!**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Slenderman, Jeff the Killer or anyone else you might recognize. This chapter is more or less highly corrosive crack. That one out of a billion readers will get. Forgive me.

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"Let a boy take you to breakfast?" Skulduggery asked, tilting his head as he offered up a red rose. "And accept his peace offering?"

"Um, OK. Let me get ready." I got up and got ready, but when I came out after showering and dressing I almost screamed. My eyes bugged out as I looked at Skulduggery. Underneath his fedora he had on a Slenderman mask that covered his head and went down into his shirt.

He had his shirt slightly unbuttoned and his loose tie in his hands. With his hat on, and the rose for some reason clamped in his covered jaws it was wrong on so many levels. "Please tell me you aren't weaning that out of the house." I said.

He sighed. "I knew it would be better in black." He managed around the rose. "I thought it would be a nice change from the scarf and sunglasses, but all right. Here, hold this." He handed the rose to me and I took it, deciding not to tell him what he looked like at the moment.

He peeled the mask off and held it out to me. "Want it?" He offered.

"That's OK. Skulduggery, you haven't been messing around on my mobile, have you?" I asked.

"No." He said laughter in his voice. "You should have seen the look on your face just now, Val, it was priceless!"

"That's not funny!" I said, my cheeks flaming red.

"Yes, it is. See? I'm the fun teacher. I like to tease you. I'm here for your entertainment."

"That is so not funny!"

"Once again, it is. Cheer up, Val. I'll take you for fast food. Friends?" He asked, holding out his arms. I grumbled but went to him and hugged him.

"You're all of three years old, you know that, right?" I said, hugging him tightly.

"That's why you like me. I'm your peer." He said in a chipper voice as he escorted me to the Bentley. "At least I didn't pick Jeff the Killer, though I suppose I have the smile for it. Seatbelt."

Skulduggery had a giggling fit as he drove. "And you accepted the rose." He said, laughing.

"I really hate you, you know that?" I asked and he just laughed harder.

"That was almost as funny as the day you fell out of Wreath's car."

"You were there, watching me?"

"Mm-hmm." He said, then chortled to himself. "Oh, my teacher's stalking me. I must run!" He giggled, the Bentley veering slightly. "You're fun to tease, Val."

"And you're a moron."

* * *

**That was so wrong on soooo many levels. I apologize.**


	11. Chapter 11

AN: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Lord Vile or Wreath. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** for reviewing. Last chapter alert!

* * *

Skulduggery got himself together by the time we got to breakfast. "Sorry, Val. But I really missed you. And you know I don't fight fair. But I meant it about your training. Oh Lord, he made it back." He said with evident distaste and I looked towards the front door of the fast food place to see Wreath walking towards us.

"I just wanted to see for myself if she's all right." He said, looking at me. He stared at me for the longest time. "I would have never taken you there if I thought you'd be in any danger. I was trying to protect you."

"By taking her to a maniac? Yes, how did that work out for you?" Skulduggery asked rudely, but Wreath ignored him.

"I have to go away for a while. As evil as he was, he was still my teacher, do you understand that?" He asked and I nodded. We murmured our goodbyes and he left.

"Did Shinigami ever hurt you?" Skulduggery asked softly.

"No, strangely enough. He liked scaring me, and he was obsessed with me. He almost acted like he wasn't human, Skulduggery. Like dressing me up and making me wear hair combs was a way for him to satisfy his curiosity."

"Mmm. When you come back, like he did, sometimes huge chunks are missing. You forget very basic things and if he was interested in women before, you must have fascinated him. He probably couldn't remember what it was about women that intrigued him."

"That's...too much information to be honest."

"I didn't say _I'd_ forgotten, I'm _me_. I said he had."

"Now you're just being petty. What did he do with his special students?"

"Something even Lord Vile at his very worst wouldn't do to you. But he's gone now, Valkyrie, and not coming back. Can I get you something else? You seem starved."

"I'd appreciate it." I admitted. So Skulduggery fed me and I ate and enjoyed myself, but it was tinged with guilt. I felt bad for Wreath. "Whatever horrible things Shinigami had ever done to him, he still cared for his master, and it must have been horrible to attack him to save me." I said, and Skulduggery looked at me.

"Don't you dare feel sorry for that man, Valkyrie. He knew what his master was like, yet he took you there. Do you think I'd ever take you to see some of the lunatics I studied with or served? He's either stupid or was using you to pay off a debt to Shinigami. Nothing like bringing the master a new plaything to get back in his good graces." He said and for a moment I was afraid he was right, that Wreath had taken me to Japan on purpose.

And I wondered if Wreath would ever return.

* * *

**And I'll leave it there, then. Hope you liked it!**


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